Safety and efficacy of dicarbamin in patients with early breast cancer receving DAC (docetaxel, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide) chemotherapy in adjuvant setting.

Abstract

e12012 Background: One of the most serious potential side effects of chemotherapy is neutropenia. Grade 3 and 4 neutropenia is especially problematic because of increased incidence of infections, hospitalization, antibiotic treatment, necessity to reduce therapy intensity. The intensity of adjuvant chemotherapy is the key to successful treatment. Dicarbamin is agent for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Dicarbamin therapy decreases dystrophic changes in myeloid progenitor cells and decreases the relative number of cells with signs of apoptosis. We conducted an analysis of efficacy of dicarbamin in patients during docetaxel-based chemotherapy. Methods: Between May 2011 and July 2012, 87 patients with early breast cancer were treated with adjuvant DAC regimens (docetaxel 75 mg/m2, doxorubicin 50 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 every 3 weeks). All patients were female. All patients were treated with these regimens without prophylactic growth factor support. 42 patients of control (group A) were not given any prophylaxis of neutropenia. 45 patients (group B) were given dicarbamin 100 mg/day on day 5 before chemotherapy administration. Treatment with dicarbamin continued for all treatment period. Neutropenia was evaluated with Common Toxicity Criteria, Version 3.0. Results: Median age was 47 (29 – 55). Grade 4 neutropenia was reported in 13 (30.9%) patients treated without dicarbamin (A) and in 8 (17.7%) patients treated with dicarbamin (B). Grade 4 neutropenia was observed in 39 cycles in group A and in 22 cycles in group B (p=0.016). The beneficial effect of dicarbamin was also demonstrated by a quick recovery of granulocytes levels than in controls. In 17 (37.7%) patients treated with dicarbamin granulocytes levels were normal all period of chemotherapy. The dose intensity of chemotherapy was more in group with dicarbamin prophilaxis. The toxicity of dicarbamin was not observed. Conclusions: Dicarbamin is an active agent for prophylaxis of neutropenia without specific toxicity. The intensity of the DAC-chemotherapy was more in group with dicarbamin prophilaxis.